Couch Stands Out in Kentucky Win

Tim Couch threw for 372 yards and five touchdowns as Kentucky gave a home-opening crowd the aerial show it wanted in a 52-7 victory Saturday over Division I-AA Eastern Kentucky at Lexington, Ky.

For the second game in a row, Kentucky (2-0) showcased a deep and versatile receiving corps against a relatively inexperienced secondary. Like Louisville last week, Eastern Kentucky (1-1) was overmatched against Kentucky of the Southeastern Conference as Couch completed 32 of 41 passes to eight receivers, five of whom caught touchdown passes.

Two weeks into the season, Couch has passed for 870 yards and 12 touchdowns without an interception. The Wildcats have scored 120 points and gained 1,249 yards of offense.

Jesse Palmer threw for 292 yards and four touchdowns and linebacker Jevon Kearse had two sacks and a fumble recovery to lead the Gators (2-0), who beat Central Michigan, 82-6, in the second week last season.

No. 7 Louisiana State 42, Arkansas State 6--Kevin Faulk gained 266 all-purpose yards and scored three touchdowns for the Tigers (1-0) at Baton Rouge, La., but was not particularly impressive against a team that is 17-50-1 since moving up to Division I-A in 1992.

Faulk rushed for 180 yards and two touchdowns, had two catches for 12 yards and added 74 return yards, including a 58-yard punt return for a touchdown.

Arkansas State (0-1) was held to 43 rushing yards.

No. 15 Georgia 17, South Carolina 3--Freshman Quincy Carter ran for two scores and the Bulldogs (2-0 overall and 1-0 in the SEC) beat the Gamecocks (1-1, 0-1) at Columbia, S.C.

This was a far more difficult victory for the Bulldogs' quarterback than his three-touchdown, 235-yard debut against Kent that left him the nation's most efficient passer. He ended the first half two for nine for 10 yards, but finished nine for 17 for 133 yards and scored on one and five-yard runs in the second half.

Alabama 32, Vanderbilt 7--Shaun Alexander rushed for 206 yards and three touchdowns to lead the Crimson Tide (2-0, 1-0) victory over the Commodores (0-2, 0-2) at Birmingham, Ala.

Alexander, who had a school-record five touchdowns last week, scored on runs of 36, eight and 35 yards as Alabama beat Vanderbilt for the 14th consecutive time.

Ole Miss' Romaro Miller, who was 26 for 40 for 332 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions in a 30-10 victory over Memphis in the opener, was 11 for 35 for 104 yards with two interceptions against Auburn.

Mississippi State 14, Memphis 6--James Johnson rushed for 192 yards, including a 62-yard touchdown run, to lead the Bulldogs (2-0) of the SEC over the Tigers (0-2) of Conference USA at Memphis, Tenn.